Updating the previous story, both Derek Stepan and Martin St. Louis will play tonight.  Favorite New York Post Rangers beat writer Larry Brooks tweeted out an update.

Brooks also noted that John Moore underwent the concussion protocol and is feeling better. Definitely encouraging news. They don’t have to rush him back with Raphael Diaz in for a second consecutive game. I trust the coaching staff to be patient here. You never want to bring back any concussed player too soon. With Kevin Klein continuing to be a sound addition since coming over from Nashville for once again in the doghouse Michael Del Zotto, things are looking up on the back end. Especially with Anton Stralman responding with stronger games.

For more on the Coyotes, Arizona Republic’s Sarah McLellan provides a decent update on their wild card pursuit out West. With 79 points, Phoenix is clinging to the second wild card spot by two over the Stars. They have 11 games left entering tonight while Dallas has 12. The Yotes don’t hold the tiebreaker with one fewer win (29) in regulation and overtime. They had a three-game win streak snapped by red hot Boston, who scored three unanswered over the weekend.

Phoenix currently is on a three-game Eastern trip with stops at Pittsburgh tomorrow and the Islanders Thursday before returning home this Saturday. Coyotes captain Shane Doan doesn’t seem to get NHL logic.

“I have absolutely no idea who makes the schedule or how it gets made, but it absolutely makes zero sense,” Doan told McLellan and other reporters. “But in the middle of the trip, you play in New York then go play in Pittsburgh and then come back to New York after we’ve already played the Islanders. We’ve already played Philly, and we were just there last week. It doesn’t make any sense, but I don’t know who does it.”

That kind of echoes what we’ve said. It’s like having the Rangers travel to Alberta to face Calgary and Edmonton before a ridiculous April Fool’s game against John Tortorella and Vancouver and then a visit to Colorado. Then they return home for their last three at MSG against Ottawa, Carolina and Buffalo before concluding the regular season at Montreal. You almost get the idea the league hierarchy doesn’t get rivalries and what makes the game exciting.

Shouldn’t these teams be seeing their division rivals at this important time of year? I’ll never get the NHL. When one of its most respected players questions it, you really have to wonder.